Another Time Another Place
by Wildjump
Summary: Follows Steve, Bucky, and Natasha through the various iterations and times of their relationships. Starts in the 1940s and follows them through the ages as they meet, fall in love, and get ripped apart across time only to find themselves together at last as Avengers. BuckyXSteve: WW2, BuckyXNat: KGB/Hydra, SteveXNat: Pre-CACW, BuckyXNatXSteve: Post-CACW. Mature. Not 100% cannon.
1. Part 1: Chapter 1: Brooklyn

A/N: Hey everyone. So as I was reading through I never really found a story that examined a BuckyXCapXNat relationship from all four angles throughout their lives so I decided to write one. It's not perfectly cannon and I had to re-arrange some things in the actual movie story lines to make it work the way I needed, but I hope y'all enjoy. As always, please heed warnings this only for mature audiences, and I own nothing.

Part 1

Chapter 1: Brooklyn

Bucky had been working his second job at the docks and the sun was setting as he walked home tattered empty lunch bag in one hand and the rest of his week's pay spent in a pharmacy bag in the other. He as only a couple of blocks from the apartment he shared with Steve so it really shouldn't have come as a surprise when he heard a familiar voice say, "Is that all you've got?"

"God damn it Punk." He muttered turning the corner into a nearby alley as he heard the unmistakeable sound of flesh on flesh. Steve let out a harsh cough as the punch caught him in the stomach which set off a series of wheezing coughs and gasps even as Bucky took the larger man by the back of the collar and hauled him off of his smaller friend. Three swift punches to the larger man's diaphragm and a swift kick to the outside of the left knee sent the bigger man stumbling away as Bucky bodily threw him from the alley kicking the meds he had dropped and the empty lunch bag closer to where Steve lay crumpled to reduce the risk of loosing them as he looked Steve over.

"Hey, hey, slow breaths, in through the nose, come on Punk, just like the doc said, calm down, I've got you." Bucky said lifting Steve into a half sitting position so that he was leaning back against him and brushing the hair off of Steve's thin face.

Steve choked and wheezed as the coughing fit continued, but slowly he began to settle only to have his aggressor dip back into the alley yelling "Faggot fucking fairies". Steve jerked forward as if to leap at the man again, but Bucky held him back, laying him down on the cement of the alley gently before rising up and punching the man's lights out.

"Come on Punk, can you stand?" Bucky asked supporting Steve's thin body as he pulled him to his feet. His cheekbone was already bruising, and he knew that his abdominal muscles would likely be purple before they woke the next morning.

Steve nodded standing the best he could despite the wheezing and hacking and said though gasping breaths, "I was fine Buck."

Bucky snorted and, gathering the rest of his stuff, said "Of course you were Punk."

Back in their tiny apartment Steve collapsed into a rickety chair, is minuscule frame the only thing that prevented it from fracturing at the force. Bucky knelt before him brushing the shaggy blond hair back out of his clear blue eyes and wiping street grime off his cheek. "What happened Punk?" He asked softly, gently bushing a thumb over Steve's bruised cheekbone as he knelt on the floor between the smaller man's knees.

"He had that old alley cat cornered and was kicking her, you know the grey tabby." Steve defended, "I was helping Mrs. Winslow with that rickety little radio she likes so much, a wire got loose again and she asked me to have a look at it, and when I was coming back he was just standing there kicking the cat for no reason."

Bucky wanted to yell, and hit something, and cry all at once. Instead he just drew Steve to him tucking his shaggy blond head against his broad chest and said, "I will never forgive you if you get killed over a cat Punk" before kissing the top of his head and letting him go to take out the medicines he had bought at the pharmacy.

"Well I'll never forgive myself if I just let some man beat up a sweet old innocent cat like that." Steve responded stubbornly looking over the meds as Bucky pulled them out of the bag, "Besides, you heard what he called us, he wasn't exactly a nice man."

Bucky stopped in his movements praying for patients before saying, "No Punk, he wasn't a very nice man, that's why you should have stayed away from him." Steve opened his mouth to argue, but Bucky intervened by covering it with his own. The chair let out a creaking protest as Bucky leaned his hands on its back on either side of Steve's head, but he was too wrapped up in what he was doing to care. He kissed Steve throughly until he heard his breathing become uneven and labored and knew it was time to stop for fear of causing even more respiratory stress to the asthmatic with pneumonia. "Besides," Bucky asked a millimeter from Steve's ear as he caught his breath, "was he wrong?"

"No." Steve admitted voice quavering a little as Bucky pushed himself off of the chair careful not to break it.

With a sigh Bucky sat once again at the foot of the chair looking up at Steve and said, "I need you to be more careful Steve."

Steve perked up inspecting the serious look in his eyes and the use of his given name and waited for what was to come. With another deep sigh Bucky leaned forward and pulled an envelope out of his back pocket setting it on Steve's knee. "Is… is that…" Steve's voice and hand shook slightly as he reached forward and took the sealed envelope off his keep.

"Ya" was all Bucky could say. His mouth had gone dry and his heart was pumping twice as hard as it needed to, but at the moment all he could see was the pain and fear in Steve's eyes. "I didn't want to open it until I was home… with you, but it's a draft letter."

He saw the look in Steve's eyes go from shock, to pain, to sadness, to sheer determination and knew he wouldn't like what was coming. "Then I'll volunteer." Steve asserted, "We'll find out which regiment you'll be in and I'll go to a volunteer station and try to get stationed in the same regiment." He said voice and eyes hard.

"No Punk, come on, we've talked about this. You need to stay here. I'll be making more than I am now. I'll send everything back. I'll even see if I can get the pharmacy-keeper's daughter to deliver your meds and some food from the market next door so you don't have to go out when you're not feeling well and we'll save the rest. When I get back, we' get a bigger place on a bunch of land where no one cares what we do." Bucky promised trying desperately to hang a bigger carrot in front of Steve's face than serving his country and knowing that he was failing miserably.

"No Buck, I can help."

"Steve, it won't work. You'd be disqualified on your asthma alone."

"You don't even know where you're posted yet, it could be an office job." Steve said, but the look they shared said they both knew where young able bodied men went in the middle of a war like this one.

"Steve…"

"Don't Steve me." Steve said heaving himself up letter in hand and rushing past him into their bathroom.

Bucky sat back on his hunches and stared up at the ceiling. He had considered enlisting of course. As soon as the call had gone out he had seen the recruiting stations and thought about stopping in, but… Steve. He wasn't sure what was going to happen to him when he was gone and now that he was about to find out… all he wanted was to know he had something to come home to when this damn war was over.

Bucky moved quietly around the apartment throwing together something resembling dinner from the leftovers they had stashed away in their small fridge from the last two meals Steve had cooked. He wasn't completely sure that the noodles and broth from the night before last would go well with the chicken and canned veggies from last night, but it was what it was. By the time he was putting food on the table Steve had emerged from the bathroom eyes only slightly red and puffy with an open envelope in his hand. Bucky stopped mid-way towards putting the plate down looking at him, but Steve looked away embarrassed as he said, "I wanted to know, so I opened it, but I figured you probably aught to know first" and holding out the letter to him, papers still crisply folded inside.

Bucky wrapped his right arm around Steve's shoulders taking the letter with his left as he kissed the mop of blond hair at his shoulder, "Come on, we'll look at it together." He said leading Steve to the pair of chairs at the small round table that serviced them for meals.

He slid the packet of papers out of the thick envelope and opened them flat on the table for both of them to read scanning over them until he found what he was looking for, "107th." He breathed just as Steve groaned, "infantry".

Bucky smiled a little sadly and ruffled his hair as Steve let his head fall to the table, "We always knew that's what it would come down to if I was drafted Punk." He said softly as Steve murmured his resentful agreement into the wood of the tabletop.

Dinner was a somber and quiet affair, but they talked about what things would be like with Bucky gone and what Steve would need to do to keep things up and running. Bucky could tell that something more was bugging Steve, but he let him work through it knowing he would voice whatever it was when he was ready. After the dishes were done and the pair were getting ready to tuck into the small hand-me-down mattress they shared Steve hesitated before getting in bed and Bucky knew he was ready to say whatever had been on his mind.

He stood on the edge of the bed holding Bucky's hand, but refusing to get in. His voice, when it finally came out was small, but firm as he asked, "Buck, will you take me?" Bucky's breath came out in a huff as he leaned forward and pulled Steve into a strong kiss. The way that Steve was returning his kiss was anything but shy, but his hands trembled a little as he made to move closer to the bed and Bucky used a hand at his jaw to pull away slightly locking eyes with him so he wouldn't misunderstand what he was about to say, "Not tonight Punk," he said watching the smaller man's eyes fall and the pain of rejection start to fill them. Taking his chin in one hand so he couldn't look away he continued, "Not tonight Steve, but yes, we will try."

Steve's face lit clearly finding the terms if their agreement acceptable and leapt into his arms wrapping his thin legs around his torso. Bucky laughed at the little koala who had wrapped himself around him and began kissing Steve's fave and shoulders, pretty much anywhere he could reach until they were both laughing playfully as they curled up side by side to sleep.

The two weeks between Bucky receiving his letter and his departure went quickly and as the end of the second week approached Bucky was happy to note that Steve's medications were finally taking effect and the pneumonia seemed to being dying down even if the asthma was an ever present threat to his health. Nor had Bucky forgotten about the promise he had made Steve. In fact, he was very much looking forward to it, but in the past they had always stopped short of moving their relationship too far due to worry for Steve's health. Even two years into their relationship, extended periods of holding his breath combined with an elevated heart rate and rough breathing from their physical exertions often left him in coughing fits and while Steve had hinted more than once about being interested in moving forward in their relationship physically, Bucky had never really felt pressed to take action like he did now.

He knew what people would think if they knew, what people did think just because they were room mates, but he had always expressed enough interest in dames and most of their neighbors knew how much care Steve needed, so they looked the other way. "Hey Punk, you ready to go meet up with those dames before we head to the Stark Expo?" Bucky said over his shoulder as he fixed his uniform and brushed back his hair one more time.

"Right, dames, sure." Steve said from the bed sounding utterly bored at the idea.

Bucky plopped down beside him making his small frame bounce on the bed a good six inches saying, "I thought you liked the dames Punk."

"Sure I like dames. Dames just don't like me. No one likes me. No one except you."

Bucky smiled sadly, "You know why we gotta go out with the dames Punk, people are already getting ideas, it's the only way to keep this up." He said leaning in and giving Steve a quick kiss. Steve nodded and Bucky added, "Besides, I like dames." Chuckling at the exasperated look on Steve's face, "I like dames, but I love you. Don't you ever forget that ok Punk?" Steve smiled and kissed him warmly. Without breaking the kiss he leaned down the foot or so to the floor beside the bed and grabbed Steve's shoes handing them to him as he broke the kiss. Steve rolled his eyes at him for ruining the moment, but he just gave the smaller man a smile with a promise of later and went to fetch him a jacket.

They had planned on meeting the pair of dames that Bucky had picked up earlier that week down by the Expo, seeing it with them, and then taking them dancing. Steve had enjoyed walking around the Expo and seeing all of Mr. Stark's wonders, but neither of the dames were paying him any mind and the way they were hanging over Bucky was starting to make him loose his appetite. Bucky was trying to be gracious and gentlemanly towards them while keeping Steve in the loop as well, but every time he roped Steve into the conversation the older sister of the pair would squash poor Steve like a bug and he was too polite to do anything about it. So half way thought their evening, Bucky had escorted the dames to the dance hall leaving them with some friends and he and Steve had made their way back home.

"I'm sorry to ruin your last night out." Steve said looking downcast, "I tried talking with her sister, you know the nice one, but she kept asking about what it was like living with you and if I thought you would be getting your own place with all that extra money after the war and I just…"

"Hey, I don't care about them, come on. Let's get home and I'll show you how I really wanted to spend my last evening in Brooklyn." Bucky said with a wink and Steve blushed, but a smile met his eyes as he agreed.

Later, neither one of them would really know who started it, but once they were back at their apartment Bucky had bolted the door as Steve had turned to draw the thick privacy curtains closed on the only two windows in the apartment. Where they met back up in the hall Steve found himself pressed back into the wall as he all but climbed Bucky's larger frame to get a better angle at kissing him. Bucky chuckled as his uniform started hitting the floor and realized the Punk was beating him. Not one to fall behind his fingers began fumbling at the buttons on Steve's shirt only to have to release him to shed the shirt and jacket Steve had already unbuttoned and cast aside.

"Eager Punk?" Bucky asked and received a bite on the side of the jaw for his trouble.

"Hey, easy, calm down Punk. Just take it slow ok? We've got all night." Bucky shushed him smoothing his hair down and kissing him softly.

"Then I'll have you now and again later." Steve insisted kissing his way down his neck.

"Alright alright" Bucky said picking him up against his chest and letting him wrap his legs around his waist crying them to the bedroom. Bucky laid him down on the bed gently and knocked his hands away as he reached for the buttons at his shirt. Bucky unbuttoned the shirt one button at a time kissing his way down Steve's thin chest and lean stomach. When the last button was undone he pushed the shirt aside and kissed along the top of the other man's waistband stopping at to nibble to the tops of his hip bones making him squirm and whimper. Steve sat up briefly and divest himself of the shirt as Bucky slowly unbuckled his belt sliding it through the loops with exaggerated slowness always careful to pointedly ignore the clearly defined stiffness contained within his slacks.

Bucky smiled, he had the best damn view sitting between Steve's knees as he made teasing plays across his stomach and the tops of his slacks. The blond's head was thrown back with his eyes shut tight as he wriggled and squirmed at the teasing his face a distinct shade of pink with a bright red flush building under his cheekbones as his swollen red lips took short controlled gasps of breath.

When something finally pressed against his straining member it wasn't Bucky's hand, but his bare chest and abs as he pressed himself against him sliding up to kiss him once more. The zipper from his slacks cut into him uncomfortably, but he pressed up against him anyway needing to feel the friction from the hard chest and abs more than he cared about the pain from the stupid zipper.

"No more pants" he began to say, but he was cut off by Bucky's lips which took over his own demanding entrance and surrender from him the moment he started to battle back against him. This wasn't the first time they had been together in bed with their bare chests pressed against once another, in fact, they had done on all but the coldest nights for years, but never had their skin felt more alive with the simple sensation of skin on skin. Bucky carded his fingers though Steve's newly groomed hair noticing the shortness of it, but not minding overly since he had been the one to cut it earlier that morning.

Moving his hand between them Bucky undid the button and then the zipper on Steve's slacks letting his hand intentionally linger on his member as he tugged the zipper down. Steve groaned and reached out to do the same, but he couldn't reach from their position so Bucky undid his pants himself shuffling them down his legs as Steve did the same to his own. Finding it a bit ridiculous how hard it was to take pants off in bed without laying down, Bucky stood and let his pants drop before shrugging and letting his boxers follow as he saw Steve fling both of his offending garments halfway across the room in his haste to be rid of them.

Crawling back over Steve Bucky pulled him into another embraced both of them letting out a low moan when they were fully pressed together. Running a hand down his side as he kissed him Bucky tucked a hand behind Steve's left knee lifting it over his hip opening him to the probing fingers of Bucky's other hand. Steve gasped as his finger ran around his opening and something in the breath caught him wrong because Bucky heard the hoarse reverberation of his damaged lungs on the exhale as he struggled not to cough. "Hey, easy." He murmured retracing his hand and brushing hair off the blond's face gently. "It's alright, just breath for a second before we go on." Steve nodded eyes still shut tight as the wrapping and rattling in his lungs teetered on the edge of a coughing fit.

Bucky lifted him up in his arms so that Steve was sitting in his lap where he was kneeling on the bed and held him against his chest as he struggled to contain the coughing fit that would inevitably lead to an asthma attack if he let it get out of hand. Bucky rocked him softly, running his hand through the smaller man's hair as the coughing began. His heart sank as he heard the inflamed angry sound become fluid filled and desperate as Steve had to fight for each breath a little more. When his back muscle began to spasm from the coughing fit Bucky's firm fingers were there to massage it out, as he continued to hold the smaller man against him. When the coughing finally started to fade and all that was left were the shallow wrapping breaths as his damaged lungs tried to intake oxygen once more Bucky laid him down and curled up beside him brushing his golden locks of his sweaty forehead. It was clear that neither of them were in the mood anymore and in one of the rare instances that he had ever heard Steve truly curse in anger he smoothed the smaller man's hair and kissed his temple holding him close and promising that they could try again later.

Steve stayed up more than an hour after Bucky had fallen asleep holding him still cursing his inferior body from taking the best thing in his life away from him. Of course it wasn't about sex with Bucky, he knew that, but he felt utterly useless. Useless to his country, to his mother, to his best friend and now even useless as a lover. There was nothing he could do for his mother now. She was gone, and Bucky would still be there in the morning, and he would come right back and live in the same broken down apartment after the war if it meant keeping him safe and fed while he was away, but for one Steve just needed to do something. Something to prove that he wasn't useless, that he could be more than his body let him be. With that thought in mind he struck out into the night to find one of the 24 hour recruiting stations, or all of them in Brooklyn if that's what it took, with a hundred fantastical stories to tell and a will of steel.

Steve didn't meet Dr. Erskin at his first recruiting station, or his third, in fact it was his seventeenth and his last before he felt like he would have to head home to keep Bucky from waking up in bed without him, but finally he had bootcamp orders. The orders were burning a hole in his coat pocket because he knew he couldn't tell Bucky about them. He would do every in his power to make sure sure that Steve stayed home, that Steve stayed safe, but this was something that Steve needed to do. Even if he never came back from it, he had to.

Bucky was still resting fitfully when Steve snuck back into the apartment and slunk back into bed. Buck suctioned to his cold skin like a warm blanket, large warm hands moving up and down his now bare sides and arms as he murmured, "what's got you so cold Punk?"

"I was having another attack. I didn't want to wake you." He liked feeling the guilt pool in his stomach as Bucky crooned sympathetically at him and fussed at him for not having woken him in case he couldn't breath and needed help. "It's ok Buck, I'm better now. Really, everything is going to work out." Steve promised kissing his sleepy temple and pushing the mop of sleep mussed brunette hair back off his brow.

It was still early when they made their way to the train station sating their sand longing goodbyes in the privacy of their apartment where they could kiss and touch each other, but nothing ever got heated like it had the night before. As they said goodbye at the train station Steve slipped a note into Bucky's bag explaining what had happened and where he could have word sent in the event that anything ever happened, but made sure that it was far enough down in his pack that he wouldn't notice it until it was far too late. They hugged each other goodbye like brothers might and whispered desperate I love yous in each other's ears before Bucky boarded the train and was off. Steve looked after him knowing that somehow, if they ever met gain, things would be different between them. He refused to be the weak boy that always had to be taken care of any more. He wasn't sure how the Army was going to change that, but somehow he would be different the next time they met.


	2. Part 1: Chapter 2: The 107th

Ch 2: The 107th

It was months later the next time they were to see each other and Steve was different, very different, the serum saw to that. This time he was determined to finish what they had started in that apartment back in Brooklyn and he had spent the last few months flouncing round the world lifting bikes and girls and singing and dancing just to get in the same town as him. It was humiliating if he was honest to be able to do the things he could do and be used as a show piece, but if it got him to Bucky, he would do it almost gladly.

The time between finding out that the 107 had been captured until he was sneaking into the hydra base was almost a blur, but Howard and Peggy had been there for her and helped in to get in. He had taken a gun, a set of leathers like the real soldiers wore to cover up his ridiculous outfit, and his shield. He wasn't sure how much help it would be against a bullet or a hydra weapon, but it was a creature comfort to him now and he felt better for having it.

Sneaking through the base, grabbing what tech he could and knocking out the guards he needed to, Steve finally made it down to where the prisoners were being kept. He opened gate after gate inspecting each face, doing double takes behind shaggy beards and unkempt brunette hair, but Bucky was nowhere to be found. "Are there any other places where prisoners are being held? I'm looking for a Sergeant Barnes." He asked.

"There's an isolation area over that way, but there's no one that ever comes back once they're taken there." A man admitted gesturing down the hall. He told the prisoners to get out and get to safety and that he would meet up with them with anyone else he found. Following their directions he saw that the area he was heading into was mostly cleared out already. He saw the short squat man trotting down the hall away form him, but a muttering from the room he had just exited made Steve stop and look in instead of taking pursuit. A man was strapped to the table muttering the name Barnes follows by a string of numbers.

"Oh Buck, what did they do?" Steve moaned running to his side. He searched for a release to the straps for a second before ripping them away with his bare hands instead. Patting his cheek firmly to wake him from his waking nightmare Steve said, "Come on Buck, it's me. Time to go Buck."

"St… Steve?"

"Thank god," Steve breathed, "I thought you were dead."  
Bucky's unfocused eyes lit on him, "I thought you were smaller."

Steve laughed, "I was."

Bucky shook his head and laid back down, "This isn't real. They've finally cracked me." He said shaking his head even harder.

"No, come on Buck, I'm real, and we've got to go." Steve said framing his face in his hands.

"Prove it." Bucky said not looking away from his clear blue eyes.

And so Steve kissed him. He kissed him like all the times he'd wanted to but been afraid to should he cause another attack. He kissed him like he thought Hydra had just killed the man he love. He kissed him like they were in the middle of god damn enemy territory and really needed to get out of here and as he rose, Bucky followed.

"Steve…" He said in awe looking over his face first, but then feeling the arm around him, looking up at the new height difference between them and he grinned.

"Come on Jerk we gotta go." Steve said propping him up on one shoulder and handing him an enemy gun that he had grabbed for his free hand.

Bucky smiled if a bit out of it still and said, "Lead the way Punk."

"It's Captain America now you know." Steve said leading them out of the base using his shield for cover as Bucky fired from his left side.

"Aye Captain Punk." Bucky sniggered as they dodged behind a cargo vehicle and followed the escaped POWs out into the forest.

They stood shoulder to shoulder once again as they walked back to camp. Steve couldn't help but smile as their shoulders occasionally brushed. He had a lot of explaining to do, and it would probably be a while before that exhausted haunted look left Bucky's eyes, but he finally had him back and he wasn't going to let the US army, Hydra, or any one else take that way from him any time soon.

When they finally made the march all the way back to camp their crew was rugged but happy to be in friendly territory once again. They heard the rush of feet and guns as they approached, but then the gate lifted and Captain America lead the 107th into allied camps once again. People clapped and cheered all around them and now it was Bucky who found he had to keep close to Steve to keep from being washed away int he crowd of people.

A read headed dame with pretty red lips came up and accused him of being late after he finished dealing with the commander. He could feel the sexual tension rolling off of her and their long moments of unbroken eye contact. Finally unable to stand it any more after Steve showed her the busted transponder with a sheepish grin that she clearly found more adorable than annoying, Bucky stepped forward and took Steve's hand in the presence of raising it above their heads and saying, "Let's hear it for Captain America!" Everyone cheered and a slow smile grew across Steve's face as everyone pushed forward to pat him on the back and give him their thanks, but when Bucky made to let go Steve gave his hand a firm squeeze in thanks before letting go.

Bucky got stuck in a medical tent as Steve was rushed off by the Dame to make an official report of what happened and turn in all of the gear that he borrowed from the camp and stole from Hydra, but near midnight when everything was quiet the flap of the tent opened and Bucky saw an unfamiliarly large figure with very familiar hand gestures talking to the attending nurse. Not long after Bucky was released into Steve's care and Steve took him back to his tent between the commander and the dame's.

"It's not exactly private." Steve said apologetically holding out an icepack for his ribs which Bucky ignored settling himself on the spare cot that had been supplied for him. Steve sighed and sat on the ground beside the cot gently holding the ice pack to Bucky's bruised ribs with one hand, the other playing nervously with a seam at the side of his own propped up knee.

"Were you hoping for a little private time with someone Punk?" Bucky teased turning his head to look up at him.

Steve smiled easily, "Just someone I've been waiting forever for."

Bucky snorted, "We tried that remember?"

"I don't break so easy any more Buck" Steve promised his voice dropping in pitch without him meaning it to.

"I see that. Your letter didn't say anything about going all steroided up on me Punk, care to explain? You owe me for that letter by the way. I was worried sick about you."

Steve's smile was sad as he leaned forward with his free hand to stroke sweat streaked hair off Bucky's forehead, "I'm sorry Buck, it was just something I felt like I had to do, and now I know why." Steve sighed, "That night after… after we couldn't because I was too weak."

"Hey." Bucky interrupted brows furrowed and reaching out to reassure Steve.

Steve just smiled and chuckled kissing the dirty knuckles of the hand Bucky had reached out with, "No Buck it's true. I couldn't breath. The point is I just felt so completely and utterly useless, I didn't know what to do with myself, but I found Dr. Erskin at one of the recruiting stations and he gave me a chance. I didn't know what it was for at first and I didn't care. I just needed to prove I could do something, anything. I wasn't going to be the dead weight hanging around your neck for the rest of your life." Steve explained having to put a hand over Bucky's mouth as he tried to interrupt again, "I know you never saw it that way, but I did so I went. Dr. Erskin made a serum. It magnifies what and who you are. It was meant to make super soldiers, but he wanted to make sure that the person on the inside was the right person. A bully would have become ten times worse, a power hungry jerk ten times hungrier and jerkier, but he liked what he saw and he gave me the serum. It made by body whole again, but more. I can do things no normal man can do. I can lift a motor bike with one arm. I jumped from the ground to the top of one of those supply caravans. I can't get sick anymore Buck. I'm not just healed, I'm healthy for the first time in my life."

"Not to mention 6'4" and ripped." Bucky added raising and eyebrow

Steve shrugged blushing a little, "Maybe a little of that too."

Bucky snorted, "Now you're going to have to be careful not to break me." He joked punching Steve in the arm as lightly as he would have the old Steve and receiving nothing more than a soft smack of skin against muscle in return.

"You scared the crap out of me Buck" Steve admired laying his head down in the hollow of Bucky's stomach where he lay on his side, "They said your regiment had been taken so I came against orders, and then you weren't with the rest of the men…" Bucky was running his hand softly though Steve's hair now like he used to do back at their apartment, but Steve had dreamed longingly of that sensation so many times it didn't even seem real. "Then you were on that table muttering to your self and I was sure I'd never get you back…"

"But here I am." Bucky reminded him, "In your tent, alone."

"Buck…" Steve exclaimed softly looking up at him his face going red, "It's a tent. Peggy sleeps one tent away and I can hear the commander snoring if he forgets to use two pillows." Steve reminded him.

"So do you and the dame wait until he's snoring then?" Bucky wondered making Steve go even pinker.

"It's not like that." Steve protested sitting back from the cot.

"Yes it is. I saw the way you two were looking at each other earlier and the way you flirted with her over the radio. It's exactly like that."

Steve seemed to consider for a second looking over in the direction which he had indicated Peggy's tent lye before saying, "Well, I like the dame, but I love you Buck, and don't you ever forget that." Before leaning over and kissing him throughly.

Steve adjusted his weight on his elbows and the cot groaned under their partial combined weight bringing both of them back to where they were.

"I love you too Punk." Bucky said kissing him chastely once more before falling back against the pillow and shutting his eyes to finally get some rest.

When he woke the next morning, Steve was still curled up on the ground by his cot using an edge of it as a pillow. Bucky smiled rely at him and smoothed his blond hair back off his forehead admiring how his features had changed. His strong jaw and nose that always gave hims a stubborn look were still there, but the flesh of his cheeks and muscles of his jaws had filled out around them making them look less severe. His brow was broad and smooth and a muscle in his temple jumped as if he was sleeping even in his sleep. Bucky smiled and gently massaged the muscle down has he would have done months ago earning himself a gently grunt from the sleeping man before him. Even the noises Steve made were different, deeper and more resonating in his new and improved lungs.

"You didn't have to do all this you know." Bucky whispered, "I loved you just the way you were."

Steve's deep chuckle vibrated the metal frame of the cot as his sleep laden voice said, "All the same. I think I like this me better." When Bucky didn't answer Steve sleepily cracked one eye and asked, "Are you really complaining? Everyone else seems to prefer me this way."

Bucky just shook his head. The Steve before him may be twice the size of the one he left back in Brooklyn, but the small vulnerable look in his bright blue eyes was exactly the same, "It's not that Punk," He said reaching out and combing his fingers through Steve's hair comfortingly, "It's just going to take some getting used to I guess." Steve nodded and looked up at him.

"It's about that time." Bucky reminded him and he nodded again getting up off the ground stiffly, "Oh and Punk? Next time, sleep on the damn cot. You'er too damn big to be sleeping on the floor."

Steve smiled and chuckled at him before moving to change into a clean uniform on the other side of the small tent. Bucky watched from where he lay on the cot and studied the way Steve's new body moved. His shirts were now the same size if not larger than Bucky's own as he stripped the old one off into a laundry pile and grabbed a new one out of a bag on the floor. His back was thickly muscled and broad and when he unbuttoned his uniform pants dripping them to the floor Bucky could have sworn his mouth started to water at the shape of Steve's ass under his undershorts.

"Way to put on a show Punk." Bucky teased him as he bent in his underwear to get clean uniform pants out of his bag. Steve blushed crimson turning so that his side faced Bucky instead of his rear and Bucky smirked at seeing the blush that started between Steve's shoulder-blades and crept up the back of his neck to flame in his cheeks. He smiled glad to see that some things never changed.

"Um, if you need to you can borrow…" Steve said indicating the bag of cloths as he hurriedly dressed himself doing his best to hid his mostly naked form in the small tent.

"What a dress? Should I go see of the dame has one of those little belts for me to wear with it?" Bucky joked.

"Her name's Peggy." Steve reminded him and he rolled his eyes collapsing back on the cot to stare at the ceiling.

"Give my excuses to Peggy then when she sits with you at breakfast. I think I'll still be in here recovering a little while longer."

Now dressed in a fresh uniform except for his boots, Steve came to the cot and nudged his one aside so that he could sit beside him. Taking his hand to grab his attention he said, "Is everything alright Buck? I know we didn't really talk about what they did to you in there and we should. I can ask the general if he can brief me later if you want to talk about it."

Bucky's smile was soft and slightly sad, but he squeezed Steve's hand in reassurance and said, "I'm alright Punk, honest. I just don't want to deal with all of the people as of yet. That's all."

Steve nodded in understanding and said, "After my briefing I was planning on walking the ranks of the 107th and checking in on their men in the infirmary. Walk with me?"

Bucky smiled and said, "Bet your ass I will. Other wise they won't know who they're dealing with will they?" Steve smiled and pecked a kiss on his forehead before making his way out of the tent.

Peggy was waiting not far outside holding a breakfast ration pack and a canteen of water out to him. "How is he?" She asked.

"He's not wanting to talk about it much, mostly he seems to just be trying to get over how much I've changed."

"It can be hard," Peggy said carefully, quiet so as not to be overheard and choosing her words, "when you know someone… in a certain way, to get used to the way that war changes them. Even in the good ways Steve." She said placing a comforting hand on his arm and giving him a sympathetic look.

"I… He… We…" Steve stammered turning truly scarlet now. She placed a small hand on his chest halting his stammering and smiled at him.

"Such things are often better left unmentioned don't you think?" She said simply.

"Peggy, I never meant to… I really did enjoy talking to you and working with you." He tried to explain, but every word he said felt like he was digging himself a bigger and bigger hole.

"I know you did Steve." She said with a smile and headed off leading the way to the command station.

"Ah Captain America, just the man I was waiting to see." The commander said sitting up in his seat and setting his oatmeal and coffee aside.

"Commander" he said saluting and taking position before the older man and nodding to Howard Stark as he tinkered with something in the corner.

"It has come to my attention that there has been a bit of a call to arms. It seems that some men from the 107th have banded together and requested that they be allowed to infiltrate other enemy camps and free other prisoners of war held there, and they have requested that you and Sargent Barnes command them. Ordinarily, this is not something that we would even consider, but it seems that over here in the front lines the Captain America song and dance just isn't cutting it. They want to see real action and real strides towards winning the war. As such, we have new orders for you Son. You are going to lead this group of volunteers into enemy camps to rescue captured prisoners of war and disrupt enemy strongholds. Howard has some equipment for you and your men and then you'll be headed to Prague to infiltrate a base there where we suspect we have over three hundred allied souls more than half American."

Steve hid a smile behind his serious army face and agreed following Howard into his work space and choosing the shield out of his hodge-podge of goodies he had lying around. Shield in hand he returned to his tent where Bucky was still resting excited to tell him the news and show him his new shield.

"A shield. Stark, Howard Stark, offered you any weapon he could think of and you chose a damn shield?" Bucky asked voice controlled only by an iron will over his temper and a desire to prevent people from flocking to their tent due to him raising his voice. His jaw and eyes were hard and his fists were clenched as he stood less than two inches away from Steve's face… well his chin anyway, looking up unto his bright blue eyes filled with innocent surprise and a little bit of hurt.

"I like it Buck. I've fought with a shield a couple of times now and I…"

But Bucky wasn't hearing any of it cutting him off by saying, "No Steve, you don't fight with a damn shield, you fight with a gun, or one of those laser rifle things hydra is using. You hide behind a shield and hope someone comes and saves your ass. We're going to be in the middle of enemy territory, I may not always be there to shoot down whoever is shooting at you while you hide behind that stupid hunk of metal."

"Buck, it's not like that," Steve protested in a voice that in a smaller man might have been considered a whine, "I'll be able to fight off hydra and it's not like I can't take a gun to."

"Damn it." Bucky growled turning away breathing heavily though his nose and looking anywhere but at Steve.

"Buck, what's wrong?" Steve asked hurt the overpowering emotion in his voice now.

"I hoped, I don't know…" Then he turned around abruptly and grabbed Steve's uniform by the lapels pulling him in to a strong kiss. Steve dropped the shield on his foot, but he didn't even flinch as the heavy metal disk bruised his toes. He was sure that he had never been kissed so forcefully or thoroughly in his life. It was as if all the times Bucky had wanted to ring him silly for taking on someone bigger than him or getting himself into trouble were pouring out into this one singe moment. Bucky released his lapels only to roughly grab a fistful of his hair tugging it down to kiss him harder and delving deeper into his mouth with his tongue.

Finally once they were both out of breath with puffy lips and pounding hearts Bucky pulled away and said, "Fuck Steve, couldn't you have stayed out of trouble just for once?" Before slumping to let his head fall onto Steve's chest were it rested in the hollow of his throat.

Steve let out a deep chuckle and said, "Nope." Wrapping his arms around the brunette and pulling him against him in a firm hug.

There was an unfamiliar vulnerability in his eyes when Bucky finally looked up and said, "Steve, will you take me?"

Steve chuckled and said, "Oh I'd planned on it, but not tonight. In Prague, I promise, we'll try." Bucky chuckled in response before finally letting go and heading to fetch the cloths Dum Dum had brought him to change into before heading out to greet the rest of the 107 and meet up with their new team.


	3. Part 1: Chapter 3: The Howling Commandos

Chapter 3: The Howling Commandos

Prague was a bustling city and the group of them had been booked rooms in one of the local inns. They sat up drinking with them men and laughing until early evening when Steve excused himself on the pretense of wanting to purchase some things to send home and asked Bucky if he would come with him. Making their way out of the bar below the inn Steve headed off into a different part of town. It was a little more up scale, but also much more sparse in persons as many of the wealthy had moved farther away from the war. "I booked a second room for us in case we wanted a little more privacy than sharing a wall with one or two of the men." Steve explained with a shy smile that colored his cheeks slightly. Bucky nodded appreciatively and looked around as Steve pulled out a set of keys and led them into a second floor apartment in one of the seemingly abandoned upscale housing districts.

"A little extra money can get you plenty of privacy around here." He explained with Bucky looked confused, "These apartments are closed for the war, but the land lord had one fixed up for the night. There's no one for a few blocks."

Bucky raised and eyebrow and said, "That sure of yourself are you Punk? Had to clear out the whole neighborhood to keep them from hearing me scream?"

Steve was even more scarlet than he had been as he stammered, "Not like that, its just we have to be careful and, well… have you met yourself?"

Bucky chuckled as Steve let him into the room. The apartment was sparsely furnished, but someone had left a light on for them and there was wood in the fireplace and a starter beside it. Steve shuffled into the room unwrapping his scarf and setting down the bag he had brought with them on the pretense of their shopping expedition. "Well" Steve said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck and looking around, "I could start a fire if you're cold. I don't really get cold much anymore unless it's really freezing, but you seem like you could use some warming up." He offered gesturing towards the stack of firewood. Bucky smiled and took a few steps closer looking towards all of the windows to confirm they were covered that that Steve had locked and bolted the door behind them.

"I'll warm up just fine Punk." He promised stepping into Steve's personal space before beginning to shed his own outer layer of cloths dropping them at Steve's feet.

"I, I just meant that we could get settled in some if you want before…"

Bucky smirked at the pure crimson of Steve's face and said, "Nu'uh Punk, you're not squirming out of this one now." Before stepping forward and taking ahold of the back of Steve's neck to pull him in for a kiss.

Steve's protests over the idea that he was trying to back out were lost between them and as their kisses grew more heated, each battling for dominance over the other, Steve took hold of the back of Bucky's skull with one hand, the other taking a firm hold of his waist and turned to pin him up against the wall by the entrance way. Bucky placed both hands against the wall and pushed off meaning to flip them over so that Steve was backed into the wall, but pushing against Steve was like pushing against a wall of sheer muscle.

Lazily, as if there was never a doubt in his mind that Bucky was already well and truly pinned, Steve took a single step forwards knocking one of his legs out to the side with a firm bump of his knee and stepping up to stand between his legs pinning him from pelvis to shoulder with his own body as the hand wrapped in the short lengths of his hair kept his head tilted back as he explored his mouth.

As Steve pulled back for a moment for a breath Bucky let his head fall back against the wall moaning, "Fuck" as Steve let out a chuckle. Deciding his partner needed a moment to breath, Steve started working his way down Bucky's neck careful not to leave a mark, but diligently leaving a trail of warm kisses down every inch of exposed flesh. When he reached the collar of Bucky's shirt his left hand which had been holding Bucky's hips against the wall, released him to begin the process of unbuttoning his shirt. Freed at last, Bucky's hips gave an almost involuntary surge forwards making a long grinding contact between their pelvises and causing both men to let out a low groan before Steve's hand was back and holding him against the wall once more.

Steve glowered down at him now having to use his right hand to undo the buttons of Bucky's shirt instead, but Bucky only returned a cocky grin and used the new found freedom of his head to make nipping passes down Steve's neck and across his right shoulder. "If you leave a mark," Steve warned in a low growling voice, "There will be hell to pay for it for both of us."

"They'll just ask who the lucky dame was." Bucky said dismissively.

"And when this leaves a mark too?" He asked running his none too well minced nails down Bucky's jaw drawing out a rasping noise as they brushed against his roughly shaven jaw.

"Then they'll know we really had fun." Bucky whispered against the hollow of Steve's throat nipping at an earlobe before Steve finally finishes with his shirt and took a step back to divest him of it.

"No marks." Steve said firmly and there was no mistaking the command in his voice as he made quick work of Bucky's undershirt throwing it on the floor beside his shirt.

"Aye Cap." Came Bucky's cheeky reply before Steve's long forearms came to frame the sides of his face against the wall as he pressed himself to him and captured his lips once again. Forgoing the buttons on the captain's shirt, Bucky's fingers fumbled at his belt barely able to get his fingers between them to unlatch it and pull it loose.

The clunk of his metal belt buckle against the wood floors seemed to bring Steve back to his surroundings a bit because he broke free of their embrace and reddening slightly around the ears said, "This may not be the best place for this. Let's go find the bedroom." Before taking Bucky's hand and leading him away from the wall and farther into the apartment.

Lamps in the four corners of the room serviced the bedroom for lighting and Steve released Bucky at the entrance of the room to turn each on and flipped on the radiator that stood between the bedroom door and the door to the bathroom so that it could start to warm the room. All of the windows were already closed and sundered apart from one that overlooked a back veranda which was sheltered from prying eyes for the most part by a covered overlook. Bucky slid the shades closed on it none the less and made his way to the plush looking bed thinking of how long it had been since he had lain on anything more padded than that medical table they had strapped him to at the hydra base.

Something darker than their current circumstances must have come over his features because once the sounds of Steve fidgeting with the radiator stopped his warm hand came up to caress Bucky's cheek drawing his attention so he could get a better look at him and concern was written deep within his bright blue eyes, "Buck, what's wrong? If you don't want to… I know this wasn't exactly what we had originally planned…" Steve said worriedly, but Bucky put a hand on his chest to stop him.

"No, I want this, it's not that. Honestly, its just been so damn long since I've seen an actual bed." Bucky said chuckling a little at himself.

"Well what are we waiting for then?" Steve asked tugging him onto the fluffy mattress and chucking a pillow at him playfully when he didn't follow immediately. Bucky smiled collecting the pillow and leapt in after him assaulting him with the pillow as he came. They rolled around on the bed for a few minutes with Bucky smacking Steve with the pillow and Steve using a second pillow as a shield before Steve finally had Bucky pinned and ripped the pillow out of his hands. Shoving it behind his mop of brunette hair instead, Steve leaned down and kissed him thoroughly happy to finally feel the heater beginning to warm up his toes as he kicked his shoes off after Bucky's hit the floor. "Is it as good as you remembered?" Steve asked.

"Better" Bucky groaned taking half a second to revel in the plushness of the pillows and mattress before turning his attention back to Steve, "When we get home, we're throwing out that old piece of crap we used to sleep on and getting a nice new mattress." He promised leaning up to peck Steve on the lips while unbuttoning his shirt.

Steve smiled and turned his attention to ridding Bucky of his pants, but getting distracted along the way by the lines of his abs and the way his hips dipped into his waist band. Using his tongue and occasionally his teeth, Steve traced the lines of Bucky's body making him loose all the attention he had payed the buttons on Steve's shirt and causing him to arch and bow beneath him his breath picking up pace and urgency the lower he got. With a low chuckle Steve undid his belt before unbuttoning his pants and pulling the zipper all the way down. His boxers did little to contain his straining member as the confines of his pants were released and Steve made careful note of every squirm gasp and frustrated groan as he lowered his face to brush the tip of his nose softly across the sensitive flesh underneath.

"Damn it Steve" Bucky cursed sitting up enough to push his pants and underpants most of the way down his legs in one frustrated shove. Laughing, Steve helped him to take them the rest of the way off and stripped his own shirt and undershirt, but left his pants on for the moment. Propping himself up on his elbows, Steve used his nose, lips, tongue, and even teeth to explore and tease every inch of his best friend and lover from his tensed abs to his pointed hip bones and down the V always stopping short of where he wanted it most. Bucky's hands were knotted in the sheets, in the pillows, his hair, grasping at his shoulders and arms, anywhere they could hold on to in hopes of urging him forward with what the blond seemed determined to do. Bucky's eyes were skewed so tight he nearly jumped out of his own skin when Steve's warm hand gripped him firmly from the base and his soft wet tongue flitted over his head.

The list of expletives Bucky used when he came was longer than those uttered by men wounded on the battlefield with Steve and Punk woven throughout them at frequent intervals as he emptied himself and fell panting back against the pillows. Panting, Steve leaned back adjusting himself so that he was kneeling between Bucky's knees. Gently, collecting some of the slick left behind from his earlier menstruations, Steve coated one of his fingers and gently lifted one of Bucky's knees to wrap around his hip. Bending forward, he began to place warm kisses across the other man's torso as he carefully slicked and then probed the other man's entrance. Bucky sighed in contentment at his kisses and let out a little gasp as the tip of his finger sank within him. Slowly, Steve began to work his finger in exploring and wriggling it around, but being heavily constricted by the tight band of muscle.

"Buck, I need you to try to relax for me." Steve said brushing his hair back gently and inspecting his face for pain that was more than the obligatory discomfort at the intrusion.

Bucky smirked and let his head loll lazily to the side as he said, "Punk, I just had the jiz of my life, I am very relaxed." Before clenching up on Steve's finger to show him the difference.

Steve groaned at the idea of another part of himself being there and stripped of his remaining cloths before he began working Bucky's entrance until he could fit a second finger and begin to open him up in earnest.

"They just went around enhancing things all willy nilly didn't they." Bucky cemented eyeing his fully erect cock with some small amount of trepidation.

Steve's ears were more than a little pink as he said, "I did say everything didn't I. Just relax, we'll go slow and make sure you're ready."

By the time Bucky was ready, both men were gasping and silently begging for more as Steve lined himself up using his own juices to slick himself. "Are you ready?" He asked.

"If you don't hurry up Punk I'm gunna…" but whatever else he was going to say was cut of as Steve kissed him before slowly beginning to push his way in. He stopped only about a third of the way in seeing the discomfort on Bucky's face, but the brunette grabbed his hip and continued to press him forwards until he was almost fully seated.

Steve stopped letting him adjust and kissed his forehead, his cheeks, and finally his lips before Bucky nodded against him indicating he could move. Steve drew back slowly and pushed back in only to the point at which Bucky had guided him. It was like a fire was burning through his entire body and each movement between them only threw gas on it. It took of his restraint to continue in slow smooth strokes until Bucky began to come alive under him. Opening his eyes Bucky reached up and drew him down for a kiss arching his back to meet his measured movements with each stroke. Steve gathered him against his chest as he continued to move within him letting his pace quicken some with his need, but ensuring that the depth and force of his strokes remained the same. Groaning, Bucky bit down on his shoulder and Steve moaned as his hips snapped forwards seating himself fully within his lover.

"Fuck" Bucky's eyes few open and he gasped for air as Steve froze fearing the look of pain he was about to see on Bucky's face, but instead the hand fisted in his thick blond hair tugged as the rugged voice demanded, "Don't stop. Do it again."

Later that night they lay curled up together under the plush blankets still fully undressed, but thoroughly sated. "I could get used to having a bed like this." Steve agreed referring to their earlier conversation, his sleep laden voice and face half squished by the pillow making him sound muted. Bucky chuckled and squirmed and elbow into his side as Steve laughed and reached out tucking him into the curve of his body and pinning the offending elbow under his own bicep.

Re-adjusting his head so that it lay across Steve's other arm Bucky said thoughtfully, "Do you regret that your first time wasn't with a dame?"

Startled and confused by the question Steve turned Bucky to his back so that he could look own into his eyes, "Of course not. Why would you think that?"

Bucky shrugged, "It's like I told you Punk, things are different with a dame. You don't have to worry as much about everything. It's just more natural."

"I don't care that it took more time, or that it isn't as easy to be with you as it would be to be with a dame. I love you remember Buck. Besides," Steve smirked leaning down to whisper, "There isn't a dame out there that'll turn around and give me as good as she got a few hours later."

Bucky smiled a predatory grin at the process before letting out an enormous yawn and saying, "hell right you're gunna get as good as you gave Punk, but can we sleep first?"

Steve laughed outright, but tucked them snuggly into the covers and returned to spooning Bucky as they hunkered down for a few hours of rest.

The next morning Steve was moving around the apartment fine packing up their dirty cloths in the bag and making sure that Bucky had clean cloths to get into after his warm bath despite his shorter recovery window. Bucky on the other hand was moving stiffly and almost wanted to regret begging Steve for more the night before, but every time he looked back on it, he just couldn't seem to regret his decision.

"Stupid healing factor" He grumbled as Steve all but skipped around the apartment bringing him coffee and packing up their few items before they left. Steve just smiled and pecked a kiss at his temple as he drank, but the coffee was good and he felt his sour mood dulling as the boyish behaviors he once found adorable in Steve's 95 pound body made themselves known in his much larger one now.

They made their way back to the hotel where the rest of the men were staying in time for the first breakfast shift so they could say that they had simply arrived late and woken up early, but Dum Dum Dugan and Gabe Jones were already flirting with the serving maids when they walked in.

"Cap'n, Sarge! Come have a seat." Dum Dum said waving them over to where they sat at the bar.

Steve looked to Bucky concerned at having been spotted entering together, but Bucky was looking anywhere but at him, the tips of his ears turning pink.

They sat between the pair and Dum Dum immediately leaned in and whispered to Bucky, "Have a good night did we?" Clapping him forcefully on the lower back and making him wince. Steve's muscles bulged automatically as he went to move to Bucky's defense, but Gabe was patting his other arm reassuringly, but with enough force to say that the man would try to stop him if he started anything. Bucky just ignored all of them so Dum Dum leaned in again and said, "You know, I think we were all pretty understanding of your situation. Such a sweet story wasn't it Gabe?" The other man nodded and Dum Dum continued speaking quietly to the statue beside him as Steve's gaze bounced from man to man like he was watching a tennis match unsure of what was happening. "Touching really, but, you know, I just have to wonder how little Steve would feel knowing that you've run off with our fine Cap here the first change you get." The grip that Dum Dum had on Bucky's shoulder was slightly too firm to be completely friendly and the heat was creeping up the back of his neck as his face began to flush in earnest.

"Not so little anymore is he?" Bucky said still looking at the bar in front of him instead of the men of his company. Dum Dum looked up at Steve questioningly and suddenly he understood. These men knew about him, about Steve, the way he and Bucky had been before the war, and they were accepting of it, but not happy that Bucky had run off with the first man of like mind he'd met.

Clearing his throat Steve stood placing his left hand on Bucky's shoulder and extending his right hand out to Dum Dum, "Captain Steven Grant Rodgers, I enlisted out of Brooklyn just before Sergeant Barnes here left. The whole Captain America thing, that came later." He explained shaking the older man's hand as understanding crossed his face.

"Well I'll be damned." Dum Dum said laughing and shaking the Captain's hand, "Bet last night didn't go exactly as you had planned. Things a little… backwards for ya there Sarge?" He jibed elbowing Bucky in the ribs.

"At first," Bucky grumbled lowly bumping along good naturedly with the mens jostling, "Not all of us have super soldier healing." He pointed out to another uproar of laughter from the two men now clapping Bucky on the back sympathetically as Steve went more and more crimson.

Later as they prepared to leave for their mission Steve leaned in under the presence of asking his sergeant a question over the map and said, "So the men knew?"

Bucky turned a little red around the ears again and said, "Some of them. Just the ones in my cell and maybe a couple from the ones next door. We thought we were gunna die Punk. We'd all go around talking about things we missed. Turns out I talked about you a lot. Someone figured it out and since we were going to die anyway… I didn't really see any reason in denying it."

"And they were ok with it?" Steve asked and Bucky shrugged pointing at an arbitrary spot on the map and running his finger along a river that ran near by.

"It was hardly the worst thing we were facing at the time." He reminded Steve, "It's amazing the number of things that seem completely taboo and unspeakable in Brooklyn that just don't seem so bad locked in a cell in a hydra base."

Steve smiled, "Maybe we should lock a few more people in hydra prison cells… then rescue them of course." He said with a chuckle.

"Of course." Bucky said dryly taking the map out of Steve's hands, folding it up, and tucking it into Steve's pack as he turned to give him access to the zipper.

The mission was simple, infiltrate the base, release the captured POWs, steal some tech, blow some shit up, and get the hell out of dodge. "That thing doesn't even pretend to have any padding or protection on it does it?" Bucky whispered from behind the bush next to him poking the exposed side of his Captain America uniform.

"Shut up Buck, I'm more bullet proof than you are even with your armor, besides, that's what this is for." He remained him lifting the now tricolor painted shield courtesy of Howard Stark an inch or so off the ground without lifting it over the hedge he was huddled behind.

The guard caravan passed them fully and Steve waited a few seconds before giving the signal to move on. They ran low and hard across the road and through the brush-line until they reached the perimeter where the shrubs and forestry had been cleared away and guard towers stood at regular intervals. They were waiting on a supply wagon with driven by Dum Dum and filled with dummy crates of food to pass the first two inspection stations farther back in the woods before leaping into the back of it as it drove slowly exiting the tree-line as its driver hung his head out the window like a country bumpkin pretending to gawk at the converted mountain castle he was supposedly delivering to.

Getting in was the easy part. After they were in and had taken care of a couple of guards, the team split, half of them going to find the prisoners, the other half planting charges and stealing tech. Splitting up the teams had been a moment of contention at first as everyone had assumed that Steve would command one force and Bucky the other, but Steve's iron clad insistence that Bucky was with him left an awkward void that no one knew what to do with until Dum Dum stepped forward and took charge of the rescue team. Steve's team of four split into two teams of two wrapping in opposite directions around one of the base floors of the old castle planting Explosive D on structural rungs and beams and grabbing small pieces of tech. Each pair had a silencer and a gunner. The silencer's job was to try to maintain their cover by covering mouths, breaking necks, and choking people out quietly, while the gunner kept watch with plenty of firepower at the ready should their cover be blown or they encounter too many enemies to silence.

Steve and Bucky fell into their respective roles easily moving silently around the perimeter of the building dipping into one room after the other and stuffing schematics, small odd pieces of tech, and any intelligence information they could find into Steve's pack. They heard when the prisoners made it to the main floor. There was a scuffle and the sound of guns firing rapidly increased.

"Time to go." Steve said setting one more charge, before both he and Bucky turned back the way they had come to the rendezvous point where they would meet back up with the other pair. Half way down the hall they heard a door behind them open and a pair of guards stepped through one behind the other guns drawn. "Duck." Was all Steve said before his shield went soaring over Bucky's head its owner brushing past him a second later. The shield hit the first man in the chin strap causing him to fall backwards into the second who accidentally discharged his firearm into the first man's back killing him instantly. Bucky shot the second man dead before Steve gathered his shield from the ground and knocked out the next two men trying to exit the room with love taps on the back of the neck from his shield. He missed the man coming around the corner, but even from all the way down the hall Bucky was able to pick him off before he had time to raise his gun against Steve.

"Nice aim." Steve said as he jogged back past him and Bucky smiled a little and said, "Ya well, try not to need it too much Punk."

They made it back to the rendezvous point and met up with the rest of the demolition and acquisition team before heading into the main melee up stairs. "Now you're gunna wish you'd chosen a gun" Bucky said hoisting his own and handing a smaller hand gun off to Steve.

Steve took it tucking it into his belt, leaving his shield on his left arm and his right arm free to fight with. Bucky just rolled his eyes and said, "Alright Punk, how about this, we see who can get out of here, knock in the most heads, and get clear without getting hurt and then you tell me a gun isn't better?"

"Deal" Steve said leaping out of their hiding spot and bashing in the heads of two hydra grunts who had been sneaking up on them while Bucky talked, "That's two for me."

Bucky just shook his head, rolled his eyes and turned the other direction to take care of any soldiers coming from the other direction. They fought their way across the clearing like that, Steve taking bullets from their left on his shield and dashing forwards to knock out or kill anyone stupid enough to fire at them before returning to Bucky's side where he consistently sprinted from cover to cover taking time at each stoping point to pick the opposing gunmen to their right out of their nests or drop them where they charged on the battle field. It wasn't until the last twenty yards bare of cover that either of them really started to have trouble holding the enemy off on their own. In the final dash to the tree line Steve was forced to throw his left arm out taking a skimming blow from a bullet in the shoulder to keep a second from going through Bucky's stomach. Not long after Steve dropped three men that had gained on them while they were distracted, but Bucky was forced to use his rifle at close range when the fourth nearly got his blaster off in Steve's face.

It wasn't until they were well into the woods, probably half a mile from the hydra base, the explosives they planted having gone off long ago and the sounds of their companions and the freed POWs tromping along up ahead, that the pair slid down to sit at the base of an old pine tree to breath and take a sip of water.

"How bad is it?" Bucky asked reaching across him to take hold of his right bicep to get a better look at the wound in his shoulder. His uniform was scorched and torn where the bullet grazed him, but the flesh underneath, while blood stained and sooty wasn't actively bleeding anymore.

"Healing." Steve said wincing in discomfort, but not in any real pain. Bucky poured some of their water on it and gently scrubbed some of the grime away to reveal red angry skin stretched tight and melted in some places, but intact and by all appearances returning to normal much faster than should be possible. "It just skimmed off some of the muscle. It stings more than anything."

Bucky shook his head and muttered something about super soldiers before standing, handing him the water jug, kissing the top of his very dirty head, and offering him a hand up. Steve chuckled and took the offered hand taking a swig of the water as he stood. "Come on Punk, let's catch up to the men before many more rumors about us get passed around." Steve agreed and they quickened their pace until they met up with Dum Dum and the rest of the commandos who's concern for Steve's shoulder turned to teasing envy when Bucky explained that he was nearly healed already.

The sight of almost two hundred allied POWs entering the city of Prague brought the city to life in a way that the commandos could never have imagined. There were parties in the streets that night with plenty of beer and liquor for everyone and Bucky was well past tipsy while Steve watched with a slightly detached amusement as people seemed to move around him as if they were in a different world; one he couldn't reach. A small hand on his arm drew his attention down to where Peggy stood beside him looking out over the crowd a resoundingly pleased, but sober look on her face.

She drew him away from the crowd gently and he had to remind himself that Bucky had gotten along without him just fine in the past months as he left him with the men and followed her towards where they had pitched their camp on the edge of town. The inns had filled to and then past capacity with all of the POWs being given spaces to sleep, dine, rest and recover and the commandos had pitched a camp on the outskirts of the city to allow more space for the newly liberated men. "Not a drinker then Steve?" Peggy asked from his elbow as she led him into the silent camp.

"No Ma'am, I like it well enough, but I don't see much point considering I can't get drunk." Steve explained lighting some lanterns as she sat in one of the folding chairs before one of the mess tables.

"I'm not usually one to turn down festivities myself, but I prefer to remain in control of my faculties especially in such a public place. Besides, being one of the only women in my position leaves me open to certain… vulnerabilities." She said looking up at him in the camp light.

Steve sat at the table across from her and said with a sheepish expression, "I'm sure it's not easy being out here all the time with us. We can be a bit of a handful."

"Surely you know by now that I can handle myself Captain" She said that flirtatious tone he had noticed since he tool the serum coming back into her voice as she reached into her uniform pocket and pulled out a small hip flask, "You don't mind do you?" She asked holding it up and shaking it a little.

Steve shook his head in the negative and she popped it open and took a short sip of the contents setting it on her crossed knees and looking him over from across the table, "You boys did good today. We lost some prisoners, but I hear you took the worst of the injuries and that is pretty much healed now."

"Thank you Ma'am." He said unsure of why she had bought him here and what she wanted from him, but content to talk to her if she was looking for company.

"Steve, have you and Sergeant Barnes considered what your life is going to look like once you return to America after the war is over? Assuming the army lets go of you that is." She asked eyeing him with rather more depth than the question warranted on the surface.

"Oh we'll head back to Brooklyn, maybe find a bigger place. Fine a couple of dames who don't mind how… close we are, get normal jobs, live normal lives I suppose." He said intentionally staying as ambiguous as she had with his wording.

Peggy laughed and said, "Normal? You're Captain America your life is never going to be normal again."

Steve shrugged, "Well, whatever we end up doing we'll figure it out together."

Peggy smiled and said, "Well, the SSR can offer you both a position once this whole sorry mess is over with and I think you'll find that secret organizations are a little more understanding of personal secrets than most organizations, particularly when they don't threaten safety and security. You both might do well there."

Steve smiled and nodded in thanks at the offer as she took another sip saying, "We've got a lot of work left to do to end this war before we can consider any of that."

"Yes and in the mean time, it would seam that your men insisted that I camp with you rather than stay in the village with a couple hundred unknown men despite the fact that an extra tent was not included in your packing manifest. It seems as if I am to take Sergeant Barnes' tent for the evening and he will be staying in yours as the rest of the men are already sleeping two to a tent. I believe I saw them dropping at least three sleeping rolls in there earlier so I'm sure he will find a way to cope without the use of a cot."

Steve blushed slightly knowing full well that no one expected the cot to get any use tonight and silently thanking his men for the excuse to sleep beside Bucky exceptionally drunk though he may be. "I'm sure he will." Steve agreed not quite meeting her gaze.

"Now if you'll excuse me Captain, it's late and a few of your men looked like they might need an escort back to camp. I'll leave that on your capable shoulders and bid you goodnight." She said raising from her folding chair and pocketing her hip flask once more. Steve reached out a hand to help her, but she was remarkably steady and merely smiled at him as she let herself into her tent.

Steve didn't end up needing to carry anyone to camp over his shoulder, but more than a few of the men were leaning on each other as well as the occasional tree or shrub for support and by the time the other men had stumbled their way to their tents Bucky was firmly tucked against his side and the arm Steve had wrapped around his shoulders was supporting most of his weight. Ducking them into his tent and helping to settle Bucky so that he was seated on the edge of the sleeping bag bed he had made for them, Steve bent and began unlacing the other man's boots as Bucky said, "Prague knows how to throw a party. That was fun Punk, lets do it again." Steve just laughed and shook his head setting Bucky's boots aside before helping him strip down to his underclothes and tucking him under the upper most layer of unzipped sleeping bag that they would use as a blanket. "Come on Punk, it was fun." Bucky whined, "We freed all those people, and broke the hydra base, and you bashed in all those people with a shield…" he laughed to himself and whispered, "A shield Stevie, who does that?"

Steve chuckled and having stripped his outerwear as well slipped into the makeshift bed beside Bucky shushing him to keep the others from hearing. "I don't know Buck, but we'll do it again, how 'bout that?"

"Yesssss" Bucky said pumping his fist before curling up on his side snuggled into Steve's warmth and falling asleep to the rumble in Steve's chest as he laughed quietly and held him close.


	4. Part 1: Chapter 4: Into the Ice

A/N: A short chapter to put an end to Part 1. Chapter 5 will be the first Chapter of Part 2.

Chapter 4: Into the Ice

One moment he was there, then the next he was gone cascading down into the icy depths below. Steve had never considered the idea that they wouldn't come home from war. He'd always known that he'd do anything to keep Bucky alive, and he was becoming more and more sure it would take nothing short of a nuclear disaster to overcome the super soldier serum and kill him. One moment they were zip lining down to the train and then the next… he reached out grabbing for Bucky's hand waiting to fell the familiar wait of it on his palm, his muscles already tensing to lift the man up to safety, to him, then he was falling.

In filling out his reports with the patient help of Agent Carter later he realized there was little he could remember about the mission after that moment. His entire body had acted on autopilot completing the mission as his mind replayed Bucky falling to his death over and over and over again.

Now days later, he understood. He had thought it would take nothing short of a nuke or a hydra super weapon to take him out and now they knew that hydra had one. It wasn't their destiny to live, to come back to Brooklyn a war hero with his best friend and secret lover at his side. He really wasn't meant to have a normal life, because this is where his life was meant to end. Agent Carter still visited a few times a day as well as Mr. Stark, but none of the men approached him any more. After he had responded to Dugan's question of whether he wanted breakfast or not by answering "No thank you Sir."

No one seemed to know how to handle him; he never did anything wrong, on the contrary he was the perfect soldier, but everything that made him Steve died that day. Now it was Captain America's job to take down hydra and stop them from bombing New York. Agent Carter made him promise to come back to her, but somewhere deep inside he knew he wasn't going to be able to, yet he agreed all the same.

When the plane was going down into the water, Steve finally felt at peace. He had done his duty, saved his country and stopped hydra, but there was only one image in his mind and only one name on his lips and he plunged into the icy waters.

Bucky woke muddled and muted. He was drugged he decided and the consistent throbbing and burning on his left shoulder might have explained why. Groggily trying to look around without moving his head, which was strapped to the bed he was laying on, he realized that this was like no allied medical camp he had ever seen. It was hydra that was for sure, but not like any of the hydra bases he had been to.

A doctor in a white coat approached him and addressed him in a strong Russian accent saying, "Do you know where you are?"

"Hydra" was all he said and then flinched realizing he shouldn't have said anything at all.

"Good, and your name?"

"B…" he fought biting his lip trying to keep his mouth shut, but he couldn't "Bucky" he finally said.

"Your full name boy."

"James Buchanan Barnes"

"That's quite a mouthful for you Americans isn't it?" The doctor quipped scribbling it down.

"What regiment are you with?" The doctor asked.

Bucky's brain was muddled and sludgy and he was positive he had a concussion with the way his ears were ringing. Why wouldn't his left arm stop aching and the burning, the burning at this shoulder was unbearable, "107th infantry." He gritted out.

The doctor adjusted a dial on one of his IV tubes and the rushing in his head got louder, but the pain in his arm subsided, "The 107th was disbanded, who are you with now?"

"Howling commandos" He said eyes fluttering as he neared unconsciousness.

"Ah, Captain America's pack of rabid dogs… pity he's dead now." The doctor said scribbling on his clipboard once again.

The words hit Bucky like a jolt of electricity, his eyes snapping open and a hoarse "no" gasping from his lips.

"Oh yes. Crash-landed a plane from what I hear. Took down Hydra's main attack to end the war while he was at it the fool. None the less, we're focused on the bigger picture here Mr. Barnes. The war, eh, win or loose it doesn't much matter to us. Your little Captain may very well have killed Red Skull and downed his most powerful weapon, but hydra is more than one war. We've been here for centuries and we will be here for many more. This war has brought us many new assets like you Mr. Barnes and for that we are grateful for it."  
Steve was dead. Bucky was mildly aware that everything else being said around him was of great importance for American intelligence in the war a against Hydra, but one phrase kept bouncing around in his head: Steve was dead. It started softly, just a mild protest to the facts being laid before him, but as he quietly chanted "No…no…no…no" under his breath it slowly grew louder and louder until he was screaming at the top of his lungs fighting his restraints and thrashing within their grasp.

The doctor sighed upping the dosage on another one of this IV lines and taking a step back, "Don't worry Mr. Barnes, you'll be going into the ice soon and you won't even remember your darling Captain ever existed."

He was cold, too cold. The soldier opened his ice blue eyes and looked around himself. His right arm and both legs were strapped to the metal chair with leather straps and his left arm, which was made of metal was bolted down with a metal clasp. Frost was edging its way back down the crest of the metal fixing as if he really was being thawed out from the cold storage locker. Everywhere around him voices spoke in Russian, but he understood it as his mother language and waited patiently to be addressed.

"Are you ready for your first round of training Winter Soldier?" A voice to his left asked and he nodded dully without looking at the man, "Good. Let's test out how that new arm is working."


End file.
